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​​module 1

The Migrating Human - Global Trends in Migration

Introduction​This first module looks at global migration patterns, this first module provides the background context for the rest of the course by introducing the current trends of global and European migration. We will look at the forces driving global migration, highlighting how countries today are dealing with the phenomenon, and what are the shortcomings that still need to be addressed.

Aims and Objectives

The aim of this first module is to clarify:

the necessary terminologies (such as migrant, asylum seeker, refugee, etc.), and definitions to analyze the phenomenon and understand its consequences

what are the fundamental differences between these key terms

current migration trends (numbers, places, groups) and the phenomenon of migration within a historical context;

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Who is who?

International migration is a very hot topic on today’s political agendas both in Europe and globally. Most probably, you and your students will have heard a lot about migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in the media. However, there is a lot of confusion as to what these terms refer to, especially from a legal perspective. Can you think of a definition for each of these terms?​The video on the right will help you familiarize yourself with this terminology. It will also present you factual data on the ongoing refugee crisis and give you an overview of the risks that people face both in their home and in host countries.

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Click on the icon to​watch the video clip!

Follow Up​You can find below the most important definitions of the status of migrants and refugees as defined by international organizations. They may be helpful tools to use when talking about these topics with your students.

Asylum seeker: a person who seeks safety from persecution or serious harm in a country other than his or her own and awaits a decision on the application for refugee status under relevant international and national laws

Refugee: a person who – because of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinions –, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country

Internally Displaced People (IDPs): Persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters

Migrant: any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a State away from his/her habitual place of residence

Principle of non-refoulment: the principle of international refugee law that prohibits States from returning refugees in any manner whatsoever to countries or territories in which their lives or freedom may be threatened

​Since 2000, the number of migrants and refugees worldwide has been steadily increasing; in 2015, we faced the highest level of forced displacements since the Second World War. Most refugees come from one of these six countries: Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and Colombia. The vast majority of refugees are hosted by one of these ten countries only: Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Germany. Turkey and Pakistan are the main refugee-hosting countries globally (in absolute terms), with, respectively, 2.5 million and 1.6 million refugees registered in the countries by the end of 2015; they are followed by Lebanon (1.1 million), the Islamic Republic of Iran (979,400) and Ethiopia (736,100). Only 9% of all refugees and asylum seekers are hosted in the six richest countries.

The conflict in Syria continues to be by far the biggest driver of migration. But the ongoing violence in Afghanistan and Iraq, abuses in Eritrea, as well as poverty in Kosovo, are also leading people to look for new lives elsewhere. The EU-28 as a whole received nearly 1.3 million new asylum claims in 2015, more than double compared to 2014 (562,680), as reported by Eurostat, the EU's leading statistical body. In 2015 Germany was the main country of first asylum claims in 2015, followed in the EU context by Hungary (174,425), Sweden (156,110), Austria (85,505), Italy (83,245), and France (70,570).

The Syrian civil war and political unrest in Africa recently made the central Mediterranean a common migration route. In 2015, 70% of all travelling migrants who died worldwide, did so while attempting to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 1 million migrants arrived by sea in 2015, and almost 34,900 by land. Both options are equally dangerous, during the last 20 years, an average of one person every three hours dying while migrating.

Turning to more recent data, according to Amnesty International, in the first half of 2017, 73.000 refugees and migrants reached Italy by sea: 14% more than in the same period the previous year. Around 2,000 have lost their lives, bringing the mortality rate this year to 2.7%. The immediate cause for the rising death toll is that the conditions in which refugees and migrants are crossing the sea have deteriorated. Partly in response to EU-led efforts to disrupt their activities, smugglers in Libya have been loading more people onto boats of a lesser quality, mostly inflatable rubber ones, with insufficient fuel, no lifejackets or other safety features, and often with no means to call for help, such as a satellite phone. These boats have virtually no chance of reaching European coasts by themselves and they are in need of rescue from the moment they depart. However, instead of implementing more rescue operations, European leaders have prioritized measures to prevent refugees and migrants from departing from Libya in order to keep the number of arrivals in Europe down.

​Hidden figuresGoing through the sea of numbers when we read about the global migration trends, we must never forget that behind every statistical data there are human lives at stake, and behind every number there is a person, who is looking for a lost relative, for a new home, or simply for better life-conditions. The following video backs up with real-life stories the numbers presented in this module. Whether we talk about Syria, Colombia, Ukraine or Libya, this video shows us that regardless of their nationality, skin color or race, people who are forced to leave their homes need more than symphaty: they need to be able to fully enjoy the rights granted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Case Study 1 - Libya Migration across the Mediterranean Sea is just one part of several much longer migration flows which originate in and pass through numerous countries before merging in Libya. Many stop for months in other African countries, either because they found a job or because they are kidnapped and held for ransom. The average journey to Europe lasts more than one year. Libya is a highly dangerous country for people on the move. Over 75% of migrants experience physical violence, many are imprisoned, tortured and raped, others are forced into slave labor. Once trapped in Libya, migrants consider the sea journey to be the only way out: despite the dangers and the numbers that show that death-rates are constantly rising, those boarding the boats do not think that there is any other way of escaping.

​Case Study 2 - Malta In 2015, Malta received 1695 asylum requests. Full refugee status was granted to less than a quarter of the applicants: 61% of the applicants got subsidiary protection, 18% obtained the refugee status, 16% got rejected, and 5% was granted temporary protection for humanitarian reasons.

What was your opinion about international migration before taking this module? Has it changed after, and if so, how?

How would you describe to your class the difference between a migrant and a refugee? How could the principle of non-refoulment be relevant for your country? How would you explain it to your students?

In light of what you just read and watched in this module, name five arguments that could be important to mention in order to change people’s negative perception concerning migrants.

Summary ​This module has been all about understanding some facts and trends in migration today as well as about the correct terminology to use when talking about this phenomenon. We have seen that even though most attention is placed upon the movement of refugees from outside of Europe into the EU, the vast majority of them are displaced either within their own borders or within their own region. The module also detailed the complex background of migration, emphasizing the risks that migrant face on their routes.

As we finish this module, reflect on the worldwide and growing phenomenon of migration within and across borders, regions, and continents. This mass movement affects us all, whether we move or not, and as such, is an issue that that is important for you and your students to understand.

How could facts about world migration be related to your teaching subjects? How can you relate the facts from this module into an easy to digest and relevant form for your students?